Wednesday, November 6, 2013What to read into Tuesday's election night results in OhioPolitical leaders disagree on what this election means for the future of their partiesby WKSU's STATEHOUSE CORRESPONDENT JO INGLES

If you ask Ohio Democratic Party Chairman Chris Redfern what he thinks about the outcomes of local races statewide, he’ll tell you how his party was able to build and capitalize on good voter outreach. And he’ll tell you Democrats won big in key races because voters are tired of policies of Republican Gov. John Kasich— and recent attempts to curtail collective bargaining.

“The defeat of Senate Bill 5 and its political implications lived on last night in the defeat of issue one in Cincinnati – the pension reform bill and the loss of Mike Bell, who described himself a buddy of John Kasich, the governor and Mayor Bell have spent a lot of time together and in support of each other,” Redfern said.

Democrats back the independentBell, the mayor of Toledo lost his bid for re-election to an independent candidate who was backed by some Democrats.

Redfern says this election was a big win for Democrats who won races in every part of the state, including places where they haven’t traditionally prevailed.

He says it foretells what is likely in the 2014 general election.

“I believe we are going to be successful in 2014 for a number of reasons,” Redfern said. “It’s about what we value and about what Republicans value. It’s about how the Republican party has taken for granted its tea party base.”

“They are seeing that Republican policies at the state level are working and they can apply that to the local level,” Schrimpf said. “That’s why you see tax levy increases being rejected but tax levy renewals being supported. People are happy with the Republican government that they are seeing in Ohio and they want to continue it.”